Under Consideration: Second Chances and Peace Offerings
by somewhereinthedreams
Summary: Laurel considers giving Gareth a second chance after her brother forces her to revisit her past. Follows Season 1, Episode 9: Taking on Water: How Leaks in D.C. Are Discovered and Patched. Based off the episode synopsis for Season 1, Episode 10: The Path to War Part Two: The Impact of Propaganda on Congressional War Votes.


**A/N: This fic is based on the spoiler that Laurel works with her ex at Luke's prompting, and like many of you, I was a little annoyed with how things played out with Laurel and Gareth. But overall, I was okay with them taking a break because happy couples are boring. I wrote this in a little over an hour, but wanted to get it up before tonight's episode. I'll probably give it a more thorough edit later tonight. Enjoy and let me know what you think**

* * *

"You're joking, right?" Laurel asked as she looked up from the file her brother unceremoniously dropped on her desk. Honestly, she was excited to be involved with anything that had to do with making a movie, even if it was filming an anti-war documentary. She would love to be able to squeeze in more than a few minutes here and there to work on her own documentary, but she was officially at a standstill until she got more funding. She could probably coerce her bug of a father to fund the rest of it if she kept quiet about his predicament, but it felt wrong. Even though the bugs had control, she had to believe that deep down her dad was still in there. She was seriously starting to question her brother's own sanity if he thought that there was any way she wanted to work on this project with her ex.

There was a reason she hadn't spoken to Ben in almost three years. And working with him on a political documentary was not at the top of her to-do list today. There were dozens of things she would rather do before working with him again.

"Not at all. I thought you'd be thrilled. I know you're more comfortable behind the camera than being in the trenches of DC, I thought this would be up your alley," Luke said.

"It is, but with Ben? Where did you even get his number?"

"Does it matter?" Luke smoothly said as he perched on the edge of her desk.

Laurel rolled her eyes, of course. What was she thinking? Of course her brother pulled some strings to track down one of her exes. "Ever hear of privacy? How many favors did you have to trade to get access to my old phone records?"

"Zero."

Laurel looked at her brother in disbelief.

He smiled at her before explaining, "Up until two years ago, you were still on a family plan with Dad. I asked, he gave me permission."

Laurel groaned, resigned to her fate. "What's our timetable?"

"I want this up by the end of the week."

"What about my job?"

"For the next week, this is your top priority. Don't think I haven't noticed that you've been in a bit of a funk this week. It might help to bury yourself in your work. And if you happen to give Ben a second chance - "

"Leave."

"Think about it."

"You're not really in the position to give relationship advice, considering that you're still cheating on your pregnant wife," Laurel snapped. She had learned early on that sometimes the best defense was a good offense.

"Do as I say, not as I do."

Laurel rolled her eyes and muttered, "Asshole," as Luke wandered out of her office. He didn't even have the decency to close the door. She had two hours to prep for a documentary before her last serious boyfriend invaded her life and he couldn't even give her some privacy. The last thing she needed was an endless parade of people invading her office.

Laurel started to close the door and she momentarily froze as she saw Gareth walk down the hall. He didn't linger or even look towards her office. She realized that she was the one that said they needed a break, but she wasn't expecting not to see him at all. He dropped off an envelope with someone and went back the way he came without a backwards glance. Laurel sighed heavily as she finished shutting her door.

What the hell was wrong with her life?

In the span of a few months, she found herself working for her senator brother and she hated politics. She was investigating alien bugs in her free time. Not only did she find out that her dad had Parkinson's, but if the bugs left his brain, he would die. Her brother wanted her to work with Ben on a documentary. She didn't want to see Ben, but she had been over him for a while. Besides, she was still hung up on Gareth. He was probably the last person in DC she should've gotten involved with, but despite his politics she really liked him.

Even though she missed Gareth, she didn't regret her actions. She wasn't wrong. Gareth was only interested in apologizing when he found out she didn't sleep with Michael Moore. Maybe she should have told him the truth, but it shouldn't have mattered. Her past was her past and either he was okay with it or he wasn't. They were sleeping together and while he had a right to know about her sexual health, he didn't have the right to know her complete history.

She wasn't mad at him for reading his file. It was his job and refusing to read it probably would've made things worse with Red. It wasn't like she had anything to hide. She wasn't ashamed of her past. She was well aware of the fact that she had made some poor choices, but her past was her past. It wasn't for Gareth to criticize or judge. Under normal circumstances it never would've even come up, but Red was hell bent on driving a wedge between them. She knew that in some weird way Gareth was trying to protect her from Red, but she wasn't some damsel in distress that needed protecting from a scandal. She didn't need him to protect her. Or forgive her.

She just needed him.

More than she wanted to admit, she needed him.

There were a million and one reasons why they shouldn't work. He was so DC it was ridiculous and being DC was something she spent her whole life running from. Only here she was. Attracted to a Republican Chief of Staff that made her weak in the knees. She liked Gareth. HIs annoying smirk. The way he kissed her. His perfect hair. The way he looked in a suit. She wasn't even sure he owned a pair of jeans. They had nothing in common and they shouldn't work, but Gareth kept saying the same thing about his parents. And her parents had everything in common, but didn't work.

But maybe she and Gareth could work. As much as she hated to admit it, maybe her brother was right. Maybe she cut guys out of her life the moment they disappointed her without bothering to give them a second chance.

Her time in DC was coming to a close and it wasn't like she and Gareth had even been serious. Saying she was frustrated with Gareth was an understatement. She didn't care about his conservative upbringing. If he cared about her like he claimed he did, she shouldn't have to explain why she was mad. But maybe if she did, maybe he'd get it.

One chance. She would give him one more chance.

Laurel rifled through her bag and grabbed something before making her way to Gareth's office. It was now or never. Her week was about to be consumed with a documentary so it was now or never.

And for the first time in her life, she was choosing now and not never.

* * *

Gareth nervously stood outside the door of Laurel's apartment, unsure if he should've come over. Because things didn't go well the last few times he visited.

He probably should've called first.

Gareth shifted the paper bag in his arm and lifted his hand to knock. If he didn't knock now, he was going to chicken out. If Laurel made the first step, he could make the second one. He took a deep breath and knocked. He could hear shuffling inside her apartment and a few seconds later the door opened.

"Hi," Laurel said as she leaned in the doorway.

"Hi." Gareth held up the bag in his hand and reached inside to retrieve the orange he found on his desk earlier. "I got your orange."

Laurel laughed, "I was out of olive branches."

Gareth bit his tongue, not wanting to comment on the historical significance of olive branches. Considering that sexual history was the reason that led to them taking a break, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to mention that in ancient times, usually a bride or a virgin was the one to wear an olive branch. "I owe you dinner and an apology."

Laurel stepped aside and he followed her into her apartment and set his things down.

Gareth set the orange on an end table in front of the bag, "I'm sorry for being an idiot," he began. "I made something that had nothing to do with me, completely about me. Instead of asking you, I jumped to conclusions and I judged you for something that didn't even happen." Gareth shook his head, "No, what I mean is - it happening or not happening, it doesn't matter. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't some shock value attached to that name, but even if you did sleep with him, it doesn't change who you are now." He was just starting to realize that. It was completely unreasonable to hold her accountable for things that happened before they even met.

Laurel nodded slowly as she listened to him, but didn't respond once he finished. He had to stop himself from saying more, he didn't want to stick his foot in his mouth again. But could she at least say something? Tell him she accepted his apology. Or call him an idiot because he still didn't get it. Just something to give him some sort of indication he was on the right path or if he was completely wrong.

"Okay," Laurel said. "I accept your apology. But just so we're clear, you don't get to judge me for my past. I'm not ashamed of my past. Maybe I'm stubborn..." a smile tugged on her lips when she saw him smirk at her comment about maybe being stubborn. "Okay, I am stubborn, but I won't have you or anyone else trying to make me feel stupid or bad about someone I may or may not have slept with. You don't get to judge me for that."

Gareth nodded solemnly. "Understood."

Laurel smiled at him and took a few steps closer to him, but stopped just short of hugging him. She peered over his shoulder and looked in the paper bag, "So what's for dinner?"

Gareth held up his finger and turned around and pulled out a bottle of bourbon, "You know, when I saw that orange on my desk, I wondered if it was a message from Red to start juicing. But once I didn't see the book, I realized it was from you." That juicing book was probably climbing up the best seller's list on Capitol Hill and he was relieved to not find a copy in his office.

Laurel laughed. "Sorry to disappoint you," Laurel said as she swiped the bourbon from his hand. She picked up the orange and wandered to her bar area to make them a round of old-fashioneds.

Gareth dutifully followed her, "Then I wondered - and okay, you're gonna make fun of me for this., but I admit to overanalyzing the orange."

Laurel looked over her shoulder and gave him a curious look. "It's an orange."

"I know, but you make films and I wondered if there was some sort of symbolism attached to oranges and the only thing I could think of was _The Godfather_. I know you were mad, but I was pretty sure you didn't put a hit out on me."

Laurel laughed, "No, I'm not trying to kill you, but after all this hype about your cooking, if you're a worse cook than I am, I reserve the right to reconsider."

"You won't." Gareth stepped closer to Laurel and placed his hands on her hips.

Laurel turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you," Laurel quietly said.

"For what?" If anything, he should be thanking her.

"For getting it. I could've told you the truth, but by then I was hung up on principle."

"You were, but I get it. At least I think I do. But if I mess up again, promise you'll talk to me and not shut me out."

"Deal."

Gareth smiled as Laurel leaned closer for a kiss. He pulled her closer, eager to get lost in her and be consumed by her. He was thrilled to be completely focused on her and not distracted by thoughts of what could have happened in the past. He started to lead her towards the bedroom and he protested when she pulled away from him. "Hey!"

"Not so fast. You still owe me dinner. Now that I'm thinking about it, the first time you were supposed to make me dinner you didn't bring anything. Maybe you messed up to hide your lack of culinary skills," Laurel teased. "Because now you're trying to distract me."

"I can cook!" Gareth insisted. He wasn't some culinary rockstar, but he got by in the kitchen.

Laurel patted his chest and turned around to finish making their drinks. "Prove it."

THE END


End file.
